[Athen] Call for book chapters: Assistive Technologies, Disability Informatics and Computer Access for Motor Limitations

[Georgios Kouroupetroglou]

http://speech.di.uoa.gr/motorAT.html


Book title: *Assistive Technologies, Disability Informatics and Computer 
Access for Motor Limitations
*
Editor:*Georgios Kouroupetroglou,* Department of Informatics, University 
of Athens


*Call for Chapters*: Proposals Submission Deadline: *April 30, 2012*

*Introduction *
Over the last few decades, members of industry, academia, and various 
professional disciplines, including rehabilitation sciences, 
occupational therapy, computer engineering (mainly developers of 
human-computer interfaces, Web designers and Web content providers), 
ergonomics, and teaching (especially inclusive and special education) 
have expressed increasingly strong interest in assistive technology for 
the disabled.

The main forces that boost this interest come from: a) legislation and 
policy frameworks which support the disabled and their societal 
inclusion and participation and b) the demographics of an increasing 
aging population, given that the number of the disabled rises 
drastically for those over 65 years old (50% of those over 75 experience 
some loss of motor capability).

The number of persons with motor disabilities is not inconsiderable. For 
example, studies in Europe show that 0.4% of the general population uses 
wheel chairs, 5% cannot walk without an aid, 0.3% cannot use their 
fingers, 0.1% cannot use an arm, 2.8% have reduced strength, and 1.4% 
have reduced co-ordination. Moreover, 0.3% of the general population is 
speech impaired due mainly to motor limitations. These disabilities 
range from mild and moderate up to severe loss of capability. Some 
individuals have multiple disabilities.

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) tends to address motor 
limitations with one of two approaches: 1) to provide smart Assistive 
Technologies for improving life at home, leisure, work and school, and 
2) to attempt not to exclude persons with disabilities from the 
Information Society (i.e. to provide accessibility to Web content and 
Internet services). ICT achieves these objectives with international 
accessibility standards and by adopting Design for All or Universal 
Design methodologies. Universal design in particular plays a significant 
role in reducing of the cost of the Assistive Technologies. Recent and 
emerging ICT technological approaches target all kinds of motor 
limitations, including the situation-based (occasional or transient loss 
of motor functionality), and are applied to the whole spectrum of user 
devices (including personal computers, notebooks, mobile phones).

*Objective of the Book*: This book will focus on computer-based 
Assistive Technology and accessibility for individuals with motor 
limitations. Chapters will discuss the development of mature and smart 
computer-based assistive technologies and improved access for persons 
with motor limitations by:
•    addressing unfolding scientific, methodological, and technological 
issues
•    exploring how to systematically apply design principles, 
methodologies and tools
•    explaining diversity in technological platforms and contexts of 
use, including trends in mobile interaction and ambient intelligence 
environments
•    analyzing novel interaction methods and techniques for computer 
access for individuals with motor limitations, and
•    discussing a variety of applications in diverse domains.

The book will reflect recent developments, consolidate present 
knowledge, and point towards future perspectives on assistive technology 
and computer access for motor limitations. As a source of information 
for interdisciplinary and cross-thematic study, the book will provide a 
baseline for further in-depth studies, and serve as an important 
educational tool in an increasingly globalized research and development 
environment.

*Target Audience: *The book targets readers from industry, academia and 
a variety of professions, including advanced students, researchers, 
system designers and developers, professionals and practitioners in 
rehabilitation engineering, computer science and engineering (mainly 
developers of human-computer interfaces, Web designers  and Web content 
providers), occupational therapy, ergonomics, teaching and special 
education, clinical engineering, and health care. This book might be 
utilized as a reference in the field, an upper-level course supplement, 
a resource for instructors, etc.

*Recommended topics*: Recommended topics include, but are not limited to 
the following:
•    Assistive Technology and Computer Access, an introduction
•    Requirements’ Analysis of persons with motor limitations
•    Switches, Scanning Techniques and Word Prediction methodologies for 
Computer Access
•    Virtual and alternative keyboards
•    Mouse emulation techniques and devices
•    Haptic/Gesture based human-computer interaction
•    Head/Eye tracking and gaze human-computer interaction
•    Voice-based human-computer interaction
•    Assistive Robotics for motor limitations
•    Brain-wave human-computer interaction
•    Computer Access options of operating systems
•    Open Source Assistive Technology software for motor limitations
•    Web Accessibility for persons with motor limitations
•    Augmentative and Alternative Communication applications for the 
motor disabled
•    Ambient Assistive Living for the motor disabled
•    Evaluation Methodologies of computer input devices


*Submission Procedure: *Researchers and practitioners are invited to 
submit on or before April 30, 2012, a 2-3 page chapter proposal clearly 
explaining the mission and concerns of his or her proposed chapter. 
Authors of accepted proposals will be notified by August 10, 2012 about 
the status of their proposals and sent chapter guidelines. Full chapters 
are expected to be submitted by November 30, 2012. All submitted 
chapters will be reviewed on a double-blind review basis. Contributors 
may also be requested to serve as reviewers for this project.

*Publisher*: This book is scheduled to be published in 2013 by IGI 
Global (formerly Idea Group Inc.), publisher of the “Information Science 
Reference” (formerly Idea Group Reference), “Medical Information Science 
Reference,” “Business Science Reference,” and “Engineering Science 
Reference” imprints. For additional information regarding the publisher, 
please visit www.igi-global.com.

*Important Dates*

April 30, 2012:            Proposal Submission Deadline
August 10, 2012:        Notification of Acceptance
November 30, 2012:  Full Chapter Submission
January 15, 2013:       Review Results Returned
March 15, 2013:         Final Chapter Submission
April 10, 2013:            Final Deadline

*Inquiries and submissions can be forwarded electronically (Word 
document) to*: Professor Georgios Kouroupetroglou, Email: koupe at di.uoa.gr


*More Information*:
http://speech.di.uoa.gr/motorAT.html
http://bit.ly/H4KjQ6


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GeorgiosKouroupetroglou

	

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Γεώργιος Κουρουπέτρογλου

*University of Athens*
Department of Informatics and Telecommunications,
Panepistimiopolis, Ilisia,
GR-15784, Athens, Greece

tel.: +30 2107275305
fax: +30 2106018677

koupe at di.uoa.gr <mailto:koupe at di.uoa.gr>

	

**

	

***Πανεπιστήμιο Αθηνών*
Τμήμα Πληροφορικής και Τηλεπικοινωνιών,
Πανεπιστημιόπολη, Ιλίσια,

15784 Αθήνα

τηλ.: 2107275305
fax: 2106018677

koupe at di.uoa.gr <mailto:koupe at di.uoa.gr>

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